LiveLife
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Agree.
I "absolute cowitnessed" Field Sport micro red dot to Magpul MBUS on my ARs and worked great for acquiring plinking targets fast - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...s-pro-front-rear-sights.871351/#post-11563074
Red Dot sights for AR 15
- Thread starter Charlie Martinez
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trackskippy
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I have guns that have both, and I never really paid attention to it either way. If they both fold, I leave them down, as I prefer a "clean" dot sight over one that has something else in there.
While it is nice to have the back ups, anymore, I rarely ever use them and only check/verify them once in a while, which really isnt even necessary.
While it is nice to have the back ups, anymore, I rarely ever use them and only check/verify them once in a while, which really isnt even necessary.
trackskippy
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I have a couple of the shake awake sights. They seem to work as advertised and are great when you put the gun away and forget to shut them off. Thats a big plus.
Where they are a bit deceptive is, if the gun is subjected to any kind of movement or vibration, the sights are more on than they are off. So riding in a holster, or bouncing around in your vehicle, and your battery is still getting a hit.
I dont use those sights enough to know just how long the batteries actually last with constant use, and if I did, Id be paying close attention to them and probably changing them on a regular basis.
Where they are a bit deceptive is, if the gun is subjected to any kind of movement or vibration, the sights are more on than they are off. So riding in a holster, or bouncing around in your vehicle, and your battery is still getting a hit.
I dont use those sights enough to know just how long the batteries actually last with constant use, and if I did, Id be paying close attention to them and probably changing them on a regular basis.
I have some Swampfox Optics micro dots with shake to wake on pistols that I carry and I have forgotten to change batteries yearly and they are still working fine. Some will depend on the brightness level you have the optic on.
Most will recommend changing the batteries once a year for sights that are carried/used a lot.
Yes. Significant advantage, with one caveat. If the red dot sight is not of good quality, it can cause more problems than it's worth.
LiveLife
Member
That's where back up iron sights come in.
With absolute cowitness, if zero drifts on the red dot, I will know right away - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/red-dot-sights-for-ar-15.923410/page-2#post-12727179
As demonstrated by multiple videos, Field Sport micro red dot was hard hammered repeatedly with water bottle but electronics did not die and kept maintaining zero and reason why I bought it (I used other red dots with larger tubes) ... Jump to 5:20 minute of video for "pounding"
Field Sport $20 Red Dot VS Bushnell TRS-25 Ultimate!
The budget Field Sport Micro Red Dot sight vs the Bushnell TRS-25 optic. $20 versus $60, side-by-side comparison, and torture test! Who wins the title of Bes...
www.youtube.com
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IMO, folks should not use backup irons to justify buying low quality red dots. Better to just use the irons while saving for a good quality optic.
Lo-Profile
Member
Depends on the sight.
Cheap eBay stuff, probably not.
There are some cheaper ones that work okay, Sig Romeo's and Bushnell TRS-25
Holosun, Aimpoint, Trijicon and others .... for sure.
I only use a RDS on pistols, rifles all have LVPO sights
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trackskippy
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I agree 110%.
If I had back the money I spent on "cheap" (they werent cheap at the time either) red dots when I was trying them out, Id have had another Aimpoint and a good mount.
Youre better off spending money you dont have, get something good, and deal with it, than to buy cheap stuff and have to keep replacing it.
Once I realised that, and went with Aimpoints, I havent had any issues. Im still using old school Comp M2's, two of which have been on non stop (except for 5 minutes a year for the battery change) for the past 20 some odd years, and have held up to the constant shooting and use as well.
I can recommend the following cheap tube type red dots.
- Bushnell TRS-25
- Primary Arms Classic Series
- Sig Romeo MSR and Romeo5
- Swampfox Optics Liberator and Liberator II
LiveLife
Member
I agree with you.
I think better clarification of my reply was why I decided to go with "absolute cowitness" as IF red dot zero drifted, it would be evident as zero would move away from BUIS sight alignment.
BUT as I posted, I decided to try the Field Sport micro red dot only after seeing videos of testers banging hard on the red dot with water bottles (Shock and stress I would never impose on the red dot personally). And no, Field Sport red dot zero never drifted for me.
I would also agree but batteries die and even "good" red dots could be bumped.
Point I was making with my comment "That's where back up iron sights come in" was if red dot/optics ever fail for whatever reason, it's good to have back up iron sight that you can rely on.
trackskippy
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No doubt the back up sights are a plus, stuff does happen, and its nice to be able to verify things. Ive used them myself a couple of times to do just that and quickly verify zero after guns have taken a fall or crashed into things. I just dont shoot with them much anymore though.
Ive just not run into the problems (yet anyway) with the batteries failing or the sight being knocked off its zero with the better-made sights. Had quite a few of those problems with the "cheaper" sights I had early on though.
Ive just not run into the problems (yet anyway) with the batteries failing or the sight being knocked off its zero with the better-made sights. Had quite a few of those problems with the "cheaper" sights I had early on though.
LiveLife
Member
I wonder if hard pounding with water bottle test was done with "better made sights" like one done at 5:20 minute of video to see if zero drifted? BTW, cheap Field Sport passed with flying colors.
Field Sport $20 Red Dot VS Bushnell TRS-25 Ultimate!
The budget Field Sport Micro Red Dot sight vs the Bushnell TRS-25 optic. $20 versus $60, side-by-side comparison, and torture test! Who wins the title of Bes...
www.youtube.com
Old Dog
Member
If you never shoot farther than 100 yards, the red dot and irons are all you need. Alternatively, there are a lot of good, affordable options in LPVOs for ARs these days that come with a true 1X and aren't much more difficult to get used to than a tube red dot..
No, actually, not all the Romeo series are made by Holosun. SIG is pretty adamant about the Romeo Zero, 2, 4 series having nothing sourced in China and being assembled in the U.S. (SIG's plant in Oregon).
SIG's Romeo 4XT Pro seems to be gathering a following, but I've never tried one. The Romeo 4 was T&Ed by a few of the internet and print gun folks with impressive results.
One of my favorite -- and affordable -- RDS for ARs is the Aimpoint Pro. A bit larger and heavier than many, it's got great battery life, holds zero well and is very, very durable. My previous agency has been using them for a a few years now on M4s (6920s) with a fixed FSB and fold-down rear sights.
I didn't see it mentioned previously, but a shooter with any degree of astigmatism really needs to try out a few red dots, some will just not work with degraded vision or you'll really need to tweak your prescription eyewear.
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trackskippy
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I wonder if hard pounding with water bottle test was done with "better made sights" like one done at 5:20 minute of video to see if zero drifted? BTW, cheap Field Sport passed with flying colors.
Field Sport $20 Red Dot VS Bushnell TRS-25 Ultimate!
The budget Field Sport Micro Red Dot sight vs the Bushnell TRS-25 optic. $20 versus $60, side-by-side comparison, and torture test! Who wins the title of Bes...
Only way to know is to pick what you like and do your best to try and wear them out and see how you make out.
Looks like it passed the water bottle test, on to shooting the snot out of it on a regular basis for a couple of years, in all kinds of weather, and occasionally bouncing it off the ground and into different things and see how it goes. Time will tell.
kimberkid
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My only problem with RDS on a rifle is the limitations of my eyes … precision goes out the window around 50yards but 4 of 5 shots I have hit an 18” target out to 300 yards.
Personally when I’m as close as 300 yards I’d rather have a good scope, even my 4x Trijicon NSN and knock that 18” down to 4-6” at 300
Personally when I’m as close as 300 yards I’d rather have a good scope, even my 4x Trijicon NSN and knock that 18” down to 4-6” at 300
OP
OP
Charlie Martinez
Member
Took my first choice SPARC to the range today and the thing did not turn on. It worked fine in the house yesterday and today it had the same new battery I bought Sunday. Spent the morning shooting with my iron through the RDS glass and managed it OK but lost all my confidence in this particular sight so I'll be trying the Crossfire and the SPARC II next.
I can shoot sub 2 MOA groups with my AR & cheap 223 ammo all day long with iron sights and today was no exception. I'm beginning to cool a bit on the idea of having a red dot but I still want to give it a fair chance.
I can shoot sub 2 MOA groups with my AR & cheap 223 ammo all day long with iron sights and today was no exception. I'm beginning to cool a bit on the idea of having a red dot but I still want to give it a fair chance.
I'm getting there.
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